Refrigerated agitating device



Feb. 25, 1930. I c, scov JR 1,748,401

I REFRIGERATED AGITATING DEVICE Filed Feb. 9, 1928 m m I N 'Patented Feb. 25, 1930 3 UNITED: STATES PATENT OFFICE Joan e. scovnn, an, or on IoAeo, inmnors, assienon To THE CREAMERY PACKAGE ivireooiviranr, or OHICAGO ILLINOIS, A oonrozaarlon or ILLINQIS EFRIGERAT D ZAYGITATING nnvron Application 1118a February 9, i928. seriaino. 252,954.

Z.; The invention relates tofrefrigerated agitating device's, more particularly of the type illustrated in the co-pending applicationof I George E. Wallis and JohnC. Scovel, J12,

irsSerial No. 137,417, which" are adapted'for' containeror storage tank.

Anagitator of this type is prov'ided'with 1 with passages for the; admission and dis- 1 ing-the chamber againsta wall of theagitator coolingand stirring the contents of a liquid a refrigerant chamber, and is operatively supported within the tank upon a shaft havfin'g-abea-ring in a- Wallof' the tank andex tending therethrough for actuation by means outside of theitank, the shaft being provided charge of refrigerant to the agitator.

"In the: use of a refrigerant which is expanded within'the chamber of the agitator, it is desirable to directtherefrigerant enter- ."outwardlycontacting the liquid being agitated and cooled, and it has been, found in practice that, wherethe entering refrigerant first strikes a spot on the; wall of the agitator, an accumulation of frozen liquid on the. outside of. the agitator; occurs opposite the spot of such contact. Y I

JDifliculty has been experienced also with the freezing of the shaft in its bearing in the n tank wall by reason ofthe extremely low temperature occasioned in the portion of the shaft attached to the agitator wherem the refrigerant is expanded.

- It is'an' object of the present invention to provide an agitator construction in which the liquid, within which the agitator is operating, I

- 'fIlQQI'ELIll? from the agitator head.

incoming refrigerant is directed into theexpanslon chamber within the agitator- 1n such manner that no accumulations of frozen 'ishformed on the face of the agitator.

Another object is to provide a bearing construction for operatively supporting the [shaft of an agitator of this type, which in byth'e' gas passing within, it, and prevents iithelfreezing or binding of thebearing. V Other objects andadvantageswill beapvparent inthe .following detailed description I of a prefered embodiment of the invention which is illustrated in the, accompanying drawings. It will be understood, however, that; variouschanges' in form, construction the scope and spirit of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings,

- Figure'l is a sectional view in elevation of the agitator and its shaft with the associated parts as mounted in the side wall of a storage tank, the latter being shown in fractional part. i i

-Fig. 2' is a front elevation of the agitator illustrating the location of the agitating blades on the front face of the agitatorand the relation thereto of the inlet openings for admitting the refrigerantv to the expansion chamber within the agitator body. In the drawings the numeral 1 indicates the lower portion of a double-walled storage tank supported on standards, of which one is indicated at 2. Positioned in the side walls of the tank is a conventional bearing block 3 having a conventional packing gland, indicated at 4., and within. which bearing and "gland is operatively supported a' shaft exfluid to a chamber in the agitator head, and the space between the inner tube 7 and the inner wall of the tubular shaft 6 provides a dischargepassage for the return of the re- The function-of the shaft as'a conduit for the refrigerant gas, together with the close proximity of the agitator with its expansion chamber to .thetank wall bearing and the heat conducting attachment of the agitatorupon the shaft, causes extremely low temperatures-in that portion of theshaft.

To prevent the freezing of lubricant or liquid seeping between. the bearing surfaces of the'shaft and its bearing block,I have provided an :outer journalsleeve 8 mounted concentrically upon the shaft 6 and extending for a substantial distance outward from the opposite ends of the bearing block 3 and packing gland 1 in which the sleeve 8 is ope'ratively supported. .The sleeve 8 is end wardly rigidly supported upon the shaft, and intermediately provides asubstantial annular space between the sleeve and the shaft, which is preferably filled with anysuitable heat "insulating material 9.. By this novel construction, the temperature of the insulated journal sleeve 8 is always maintainedabove.

that which would cause the bearing lubricant, or any seepage between theibearrng surfaces,

to be congealed and interfere with the free 1 operation ofthe shaft. V The agitator 5 comprises a hollow body portion constructed of'the rear wall 10 and a preferably cone-shaped front wall 11, upon which latter are formed vanes 12 of anysuitable contour for the agitating movement of the liquid within the tank by therotation of the agitator.

A hub member 13 is axially positioned in the agitator body extending'from front to rear and sealed to thewalls 1-0 and, 11 'as by "continuation of the interior of the tubular shaft, the passage 14 having lateral ports 15 opening into'the interior of the chamber 16 formed by the agitator walls 10 and 11. A smaller axial passage 17 is formed in .the forward portion of the hub 13, also having lateral port openings 18 communicating with the chamber 16. The passage 17 forms a hearing for the end portion of the stationary .inner tube? which communicates with the radial ports 18 and extends rearwardly through. the tubular shaft 6 in spaced relation thereto.j

The inner tube 7, forming, as previously described, the inlet conduit for the refrigerr ant under pressure,the latteris delivered to the expansion chamber 16 through the port openings 18, the latter being preferably formed to direct theexpanding'fluid against the front face of theagitator for more efffective use of its heat'absorbing qualityduring expansion. When the ports 18 are so positioned that the entering fluid strikes the front face of the agitator at any portion of the latter other than directly opposite to the vanes 12, an accumulation of frozen liquid forms outwardly .of the spot of contact. By

arranging the ports 18 so that thelfluidis directed into contact with the "front wall '11 immediately beneath the respective agitating blades or vanes 12, the heat conductivity of the mass of the blades 12 serve to pre-' vent the formation of any frozen liquid immediately over the inlet ports, and the prescut structure provides, one such inlet port beneath each of the blades or vanes.

.. The. operating shaft 6c is supported out! side of the tank in, a bearing support 19 'mounted as hereinill ustrated upon .a bracket 20 secured to the outer wall of the tank.

The shaft-6 also "carries a'driving pulley 21 which may be belted to any suitable source of power, not herein shown.

Mounted upon the rearwardly extended end of'the tubular shaft 6 is a stationary casing 22 having a bearing for the end of the shaft, the latter being operatively sealed in the bearing by a conventionalpacki'ng gland indicated'at 23. The casing 22 isconstructe with, an inner enclosed chamber 24 which is tubular shaft- 6. The "stationary inner tube ing, passing through an opening therein and cl ass in communication with the open end of the i 7 "extends throughthe end wall of the'rcas 390 I beingsecured in a cap 25, the latter effecting a closure of the opening and beingsu-pp'ort ed in sealed contact with the casing wall as by means of bolts 26. v

The cap 25- carriesa connection indicated ii;

by the pipe 27 with a supply of refrigerant fiuidtransmitted to the inner tube '7 through theconnecting passage in the cap. Theicasing 22isprovided with another opening communicating with the inner. chamber and adapted to receive a pipe connection 28 for the discharge of the refrigerant returned";

through the shaft 6, and the return of the refrigerant thereby to the source of supply.

The casing '22 is stationarily supported by means of a bracket 29 secured to thecasing and the mainbracket 20; 7 v I c'laim'as my invention:

' 1. In combination, a liquid container, an.

agitator positioned in said container'and'having an enclosed chamber, a shaft operatively supporting said agitator and having passages therein communicating with said" chamber 7 for the fiow of refrigerant fluid toand from said chamber, said shaftextend'ing through a wall of said container, a journal sleeve mounted ;on said shaft n spaced relation thereto,

and 'a bearing block mounted in a wall of said 7 container and operatively supporting said journal sleeve. e

2. A levice of the class described, comprising an inner chamber, a tubular shaft for the operative supportof said agitator having in ward communication withsaid chamber, a journal sleeverigidly mounted on said shaft in spaced relation thereto, insulating mate "ing an agitator having a hollow body enclosrial between said shaft and said journal sleeve,'and a journal operatively supporting said 'bearlng sleeve. r

3. A device of the class described, comprising an agitator having 'an enclosed chamber,

a hub member secured in saidagitator having frontward and rearward passages communicating with saldchamber, a tubular shaft operatively supporting said agitator and se toured in said hub memberin inner communication with said rearward passages, a tube WlthlILSfild shaft having a bearmg support in said hub and communicating with said frontward passages, a ournal sleeve. mounted 1n concentrlc spaced relatlon to sald shaft 7 and having its forward end secured to said -hub, and a bearing operatively supporting said bearing sleev H 4:. In combination with a liquid container, ashollow s'haftfjournaled in a wall 'of'said container, a hollow agitator within said con- I tainer secured to said shaft for; rotation there- I With,-an agitating vane disposed on the outer face of said hollow agitator, said shaft hav r ing inner communication with the interior of said hollow agitator, and a tube positioned I in said hollow shaft extending into said agiwith the interior vof said agitator, said port 'opening adjacent the wall of said agitator carrying said vane and immediately opposite tator and having a port for communication the position of said vane onsaid wall, said tube andhollow shaft forming inlet and outlet passages for a supply of refrigerant to' and'from said hollow agitator.

.25 o a chamber therebetween", ahub supported in 5; In a device of the classudescribed, an agitator having front and rear walls mar-o ginally joined'and centrally spaced to form saidfrontand rear walls and having a passage with a' constricted front portion extending'adjacent said-front wall and having an enlarged rear POItlOIIOPBIllIlglIltO sald chamher adjacent said rearwalhovan'es mounted outward of the frontwall, of "said agitator,

"ports *in said hub communicating with said constricted portion of's'aid passage and opening within said chamber immediately opposite theposition of said vanes respectively upon said frontwall, a hollow shaft securedto said hub'for operative support'ofsaid'ag'ii front portion of said passage and communitator and having communication with the ehlarged portionof said passage, and a stationary tube positioned within said'shaft having a fluid tight bearing in the constricted eating therewith.

I In testimony whereof, I'have hereunto affixed my signature.

JOHN o. 'scovEL, JR. 

